Telstra InfraCo’s Aura Network poised to spark AUD 29 billion in GDP gains
Laying the groundwork for a smarter future
The global economy is shifting into a higher digital gear with AI, cloud, intelligent industry and data-driven decision-making. High-capacity, low-latency networks are critical if the country is to reach top speed.
But without the right foundations, Australia risks missing out through constrained productivity and lost opportunities. That’s why Telstra is investing in building the Aura Network—the largest terrestrial intercity network in Australia— which has the potential to provide the foundations of the nation’s digital economy for decades to come.
While we believe this investment delivers broad national benefits, it has also been designed to generate long-term returns, and support high-value digital services, and to drive customer value alongside national impact.
Forecasting the impact of the Aura Network
Oxford Economics independently analysed the economic and social value of the Aura Network1Refer to glossary at end of content, evaluating its potential contribution to GDP, job creation and support for regional communities. The report also examines further upside for a complete national roll-out.
Powering productivity and GDP growth
Telstra InfraCo’s Aura Network (previously known as Intercity Fibre Network) project is a generational, nation-building investment. Our independent modelling estimates the Aura Network could deliver AUD 29 billion in additional GDP and 84,000 extra jobs by FY40 from the Committed Network alone.
– Oxford Economics
AI and data analytics are reshaping industry operations in nearly every sector. If our society and businesses are to get the most from these technologies, we will require ultra high-capacity, resilient networks and the ability to move vast amounts of data quickly. Digital infrastructure that’s fit for future purpose will play a vital role in supporting Australia’s industries and businesses stay competitive and productive. The Aura Network may become a critical component of the country’s digital infrastructure, and can support productivity gains and economic growth, well beyond the economic impact of its construction and operations.
Oxford Economics projects that the Aura Network1Refer to glossary at end of content has the potential to deliver AUD 29 billion in additional GDP by FY40, and support 84,000 extra jobs from the Committed Network2Refer to glossary at end of content, as part of Telstra’s AUD 1.6 billion investment. The Oxford Economics report also identifies potential for a further AUD 7 billion GDP opportunity by FY40 from the expansion of Potential routes3Refer to glossary at end of content, for a total of AUD 36 billion in GDP and over 100,000 new jobs nation-wide across sectors like agriculture, mining, and renewables as automation and data-driven operations accelerate.
How the Aura Network can help regional communities
The Aura Network is estimated to deliver $6.6 billion uplift to the GDP of regional Australia by FY40.
– Oxford Economics
The report finds that through its Committed Network2Refer to glossary at end of content and Potential routes3Refer to glossary at end of content, regional Australia stands to gain AUD 6.6 billion in added GDP by FY40, if it connects to the Aura Network1Refer to glossary at end of content. It estimates that AUD 1.5 billion (23%) of the AUD 6.6 billion regional GDP uplift is attributed to the Potential routes alone3Refer to glossary at end of content. For industries like mining, agriculture, which are key drivers of regional and remote economies, this can scale up adoption of emerging technologies and innovations such as precision agriculture, remote-controlled mining operations, and autonomous vehicles.
Designed to keep Australia connected
The Aura Network also makes Australia’s digital infrastructure more resilient. All routes are designed with diverse path architecture, which helps provide alternative pathways in case of outages and improves reliability for businesses and communities.
The digital backbone for Australia’s connected future
Telstra InfraCo’s Aura Network is designed to be an inclusive, resilient network and Australia’s digital backbone for a connected future.
This is just a snapshot of Oxford Economics' analysis. Read the full report to see the scale of opportunity Telstra InfraCo’s Aura Network can create for Australia.
Notes for the reader
- Aura Network: Telstra InfraCo’s Aura Network, previously know as the Intercity Fibre Network, which consists of both the Committed Network and Potential Routes.
- Committed Network: The Aura Network’s intercity fibre paths that Telstra InfraCo has committed to building as part of the $1.6 billion investment announcement in conjunction with Viasat connectivity.
- Potential Routes: The Aura Network’s intercity fibre paths that Telstra InfraCo may deploy in future, subject to customer demand and enabling conditions.
- Hyperscalers: Global cloud providers operating at a vast scale (e.g. AWS, Microsoft, and Google) that operate massive, globally distributed data centres, offering scalable computing and storage resources.
- Neocloud Operators: A new generation of cloud providers offering innovative or niche cloud services, often focusing on regional, edge, or industry-specific solutions.
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The total value of all goods and services produced within a country over a specific period.
- Economic Benefits: Benefits such as increased GDP, job creation, and productivity gains - resulting from digital infrastructure investments, as assessed in this report.
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